Machine for grinding glass plates



Feb.l 9 1926.v 1

K. A. WEBER MACHINE FOR GRINDING GLASS-.PLATES- Filed March 18, 19:24 5 sheets-Sheet 2 Feb'. A9 1926.

f K. A. WEBER MACHINE FOR GRINDING GLASS PLAT-Es Filed March 18, 1924 5 Sheets-$118612 5 0 Y m f. z a. f 1,1m@

Eltw u Wa Feb. 9 1926.

K. A( WEBER MACHINE FOR GRINDING GLASS PLATES Filed March 18, .1924 5 sheets-Sheet 4 SEKN K. A. WEBER MACHINE FOR GBINDINQ GLASSv PLATES Feb. 9, 1926.

Filed March 18, '1924 s sheets-sneek 5 Many plates are of considerable vlength and, i

Patented Feb. 9, 1926.

UNITED AsTAifEis I {ARL Ai. WEBER, OF LOS ANGELES, CALIFOR-IA.

MACHINE Fonsi-nimma GLASS PLATES.

Application filed March 18, 1924. SerialNo. 700,035.

To, all whom t 'may concern? Be it known that I, KARL A, WEBER, a citizen of the United States, residing atLos Angeles, in the county of Los Angeles, State of California, have invented a new and useful Machine for Grinding Glass Plates, of which the followingis a specification.

This invention relates to the art of grinding, polishing, beveling or finishing the edges of glass. In this specification the term glass is used in a generic sense to define glass and other substances that may have more or less the characteristics of glass or may be substituted or used in the place of glass. The usual -methods of grinding, polishing, beveling or finishing the edges of glass plates used for showcases, windows, automobile Windshields, shelves, and table orfurniture tops, are very ineflicient and expensive and involve the use of much human labor. The primary objects of this invention are to effect the grindingo'r the pol-A ishing, or the grinding and polishing, and hence the finishing, of the edges of glass plates expeditiously, economically, and in such `manner as'to produce materially better results than heretofore.

At present, the method of grinding or polishing the edges of plates of glass, in general use, is for the operator to manually support and move the plate edgewise to and fro upon the edge of a grinding or polishing wheel. Many glass plates are broken in this manner 'and considerable skill is required to pro` duce even a moderately straight-edge; skilled workmen are therefore required.` When a comparatively shortplate is being handled, it can be run from end to end of the wheel by a single operator without stopping, but it is practically impossible for the operator to maintain a uniform speed in the feed of the plate. This produces an uneven edge.

inirunning the edge along the wheel, atleast two men are required 'to hold the plate and such plate ismomentarily stationary at different times in the travel of the plate along the Wheel. This lis due partially to the necessity of the operator changing his position with relation to the platev as the grinding or polishing proceeds.4 This also produces an uneven edge.. I

' Another object of this invention .isi to pro'- duce a perfectly straight edge, regardless of the length of the plate being ground.

Another object is, to make the grinding, polishing, beveling or finishing operations entirely automatic so as to eliminate such variations as Voccur in so grinding, olislom ing, beveling or finishing the edges o plates by hand. Another object of the invention is to provide an organized machine-of large capacity in which the said finishing operation may be completed with the minimum of human labor; also to obviate the necessity of skilled labor.

Another object is toprovidesuch aiorganized automatic machine in which the liability to breakage of the glass plates or of the .chipping or fracture thereof 4during the grinding, polishing, beveling or finishing, is substantially eliminated.

Other objects of the invention will here-y inafter, appear from a detailed description of a preferred embodimentl of such invention, and such,a preferred embodiment is View' ofthat portion of the machine ,shown' on the left in Figures land 2. Glass plates are shown in position inthe machine.

Fig. 4 is an enlarged fragmental side eleillustrated in the accompanying drawings, y

vation lof the machine from the line indi- Acated by 4-4 of Figure 2, portions being in section on said line, and one of the grinding Wheels being shown partly in elevation and partly in section. A fragment of a glass plate is shown in grinding relation vwith the Wheel. i

Fig. 5 is 'a plan view, partially in sec'- tion, from the line indicated by 5 5, Figure 4.

Fig. 6 is an enlarged end view of the machine from the right of Figures 1 and2.

r bers for said plates.

art can readily make the same.

support a plurality of the Fig. 7 is an en arged sectional elevation on the line indicated by 7--7, Figure 1..

Fig. 8 is a fra mental sectional detail of one of the grirrding wheels, the guides for the glass plates and one of the spacing mem- Fragmenpshof three plates are shown in placeon the grinding wheel between the guides. The plates are engaged by the spacing member.

Fig. 9 is a fragmental detail of the platefeed means and one of the rails upon which the glassplates travel. Fragments of three plates are shown engaged by the feed means. Fig. 10 is a sectional perspective view. Fig. 11 is a perspective view.

F 'g. 12 is a sectional plan view illustratf ing in detail theconstructionand cooperative arrangement of the railsV or bed on which the glass plates. travel, the conveying means, and a preferred construction of means whereby the conveying means move the glass plates while the same are heldv ,in position inthe machine.

Fig. 13 is a detail view illustrating a preferred form of positioning and spacing means which may be used upon a glass plate or' series ofvplates at a suitable distance above the4 rails or bed-plate upon which'the glass .plates travel,v and whereby tipping or tilting of the glass plates may be prevented.

Means are provided for properly supporting the plates to be ground and such means may be constructed as follows:

There are provi-ded rails 11 alined withv one another and suitably supported on a frame .which is indicated in general by the character 12. The frame 12 may be ccnstructed of wood or any other suitable material and the members thereof `may be variously arranged tov suit various require,- ments. 'A detailed description of the frame is unnecessary, since any one skilled in this TherailS 11 are provided for the purpose of slidably supporting -t-he glass platesv which are to undergo the operations for the effecting of which the machine is constructed, and the glass plates are indicated at 13. The rails 1l may, is desired, be of suffcient'width to' lass plates 13 side by side, .as shownA in igure 9. The rails 11 are preferably constructed of nonmetallic material and I have employed for this purpose stripsof wood. The vemployment ofmetal for thev rails 11 is inadvisable,

since the edges of the plates are uneven bef mareas" plates along all 4port-ions `of the g bottom edges. This.' continuous support insures against cracking and breakage ofthe plates.

Thejplates 13 are supported by the rails 11 between guides 14, 15. When the plates are `placed in the machine in single le, as shown in F iguresy 6 and 7, the guides 14,' 15 engage ythe opposite faces of the plates, thus preventing lateral motion of the plates or change in angle between said plates and the rails. When a plurality of plates are placed side by side in the machine, as in Figures 3, 8 and'9., the guide 14 engages the outer 'face of the plate on one side and the guide 15 engages the outer face of the plate on the opposite side. When the plates are positioned side by side in this manner, it is advisable to employ `spacing means to -hold theI plates spaced from one another. For this purpose I have shown a member 16, which may be constructed of wood or other suitable material, provided with a series of( sprocket wheels 19 on shafts 20 positioned' 100 near the opposite ends of the frame'12, the shafts 2O being journal'ed in bearings 21. The sprocket chain 18' is provided at vinter-l valsI with laterally-extending arms'22 constructed of wood or other suitable material.

vThearms 22 may be secured in any suitable manner to the sprocket chain and," in this instance, each arm is provided in its under face with notches 23 which engage the "side members 24 of one of the links vof thezchain no 18, as clearly shown in Figure ,9. The arm portion 25 between the notches 23 constitutes 'a plug which snugly Iits -inside of the-link Vand is alone su'tlicient tohold thel arin 'securely. The -arms 22' project over the rails H5 11 and somewhat Aabove said rails, and are adapted to engage the rear edges of glass plates 13 so that, when the chain 18 is opera-ted to advancd the arms 22,-said arms will push against the plates and slide them one feeding movement thereof, said arms may be. removed from' the -ch-a-m, and rc- 120, along the rails 11. When the arms 22 have 4 advanced'l a ,distance necessary to complete engaged .with said .chain at a point where they` will engage'the ,rear edges of glass plates prior to.feeding said plates to 'the grinding'devices. Such removall and replaceal of the arms 22v will be done by the l operator of the machine.

To operate the chain 18, speed reduction gearing is provided consisting vof a number of shafts 26, 27, 28, the shafts 26, 27 being.

provided with spur pinionsf29 and spur gears 30,' the shaft 28 being provided with a spur pinion 31 and the shaft 20 with a spurl The shafts26, 27, 28 are journaled by an endless belt 373 engaging the pulley' 374 of a motor 375. It will be obvious that the plate feed means may be driven in any j other suitable manner, if desired.

Thel adjacent ends of adjacent rails 11 arespaced from one another as indicatedat 3 8, andthe ends of the rails may bebeveled on their 'under faces as indicated at 39. Moving in some of the spaces 38 are grinding elements 40 which, in this instance, are wheels provided in their. edges with grooves 41 adapted, .as the plates move across said ,-openings, to engage the bottom edges of4 the plates 13, as clearly shown in Figure 4.

From the foregoing, it will be seen that the construction described-enables me to effect relative longitudinal motion betweenthe plate and grinding elements. such construction has been 'described to enable those skilled in thisl art to build the machine, it is to be understood that other means for accomplishing such motion may be employed within the scope of the invention as defined in some of the appended claims. As the plates move across the final space 38, they engage a polishing element 42 which moves in said space. The polishing elementi 42 may be a wheel constructed in the usual manner of' polishing Wheels and lit is therelfore unnecessary to describe said wheel in detail herein.` One of the Wheels is mounted on the shaft 37 and the other wheel 40 is mounted onA a shaft 43 j ournaled in bearings 44. The shaft 43 is provided with a I pulley 45 driven by a belt 46 which is driven by a pulley 47 mounted on the shaft 37. The wheel 42 is mounted on a shaft 48 journaled in bearings 49. The shaft 48 is provided with a pulley 50 driven by an endless belt 51 which is driven by a pulley 52 mounted on the shaft 37. The shaft 48 is provided with a pulley 53 driving a belt 54, which in turn drives a pulley 55-0n a shaft 56. The shaft 56 is journaled in a bearing 57 and carries a rotary brush 58 which engages the edge of the wheel 42 so as to supply said edge with a polishing solution contained in a tank 59. I v

The shafts 37. 43, 48 are preferably ad justably mounted relative to the rails,11, and the adjustment may be effected by any suitable construction.- In this particular instance, the construction for effecting the While adjustment is as follows: Each pair of bearings `for 'the shafts 37, 43, 48 is mounted on a carriage 60 pivoted at 61 to the -frame. Means .are provided to move the carriages 6() toward and from the rails lland preferably such means include counterbalances f so as to automatically press the wheels 46, 42 against the bottom edges of the glass plates with a predetermined degree of pressure, thus to effect a definite depth of grinding of the edges of the glass plates. For this purpose each of the carriages 6() is .connected by a rod 62 to one end of a lever 63 which 1sy provided with an adjustable weight 64. 'lle weights 64 are connected with the levers 63 by collars 65 shiftablev along the levers and said collars are releasably Iheld in any dey sired position of adjustment by set-screws. 66. The rods 62 may be provided with screwthreads 67 engaged by wing nuts 68, thus providing one form of means for effecting relative adjustments between the carriages 60 and their operating levers 63.

Each of the wheels 40 is provided with a tank 69 mounted on the frame to hold Water for the wheel to run in. The tank 59 and bearing 57 are preferably mounted on the carriage 60 that is associated with the polishing element 42. v

In the drawings the relative arrangement of the rails 11 and grinding wheels 40 is such as to produce unbeveled edges on the glass plates, but it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to such arrangement, since, by tilting either theV grinding wheels or the plates, a beveled edge could be produced.

In Figures .10 to 13 inclusive the same geni eral preferred embodiment of the invention is illustrated. It may be preferable, in place of utilizing the form of spacing and positioningmember 16 illustratedy in Fig-v ure 8 and the rails or guides 14, 15 by which the plates are held in the desired position with relation to the grinding or polishing operation, to employ the equivalent thereof.

One form of such an equivalentis shown.

`A track or aseries of tracks 71, 72, 73 may be arranged at such vertical heights as lto adaptthe machine for simultaneously grinding or polishing-pieces or plates of glass, marble, vitrolite, or the like, of-.various di? mensions, and the positioning means may include a track-embracing member 172 carrying positioning, supporting or spacing means 162. Such means 162are preferably mounted upon `a threaded arm 163 and 'retained in position thereon by suitable fastening means, such. as the wing nut 164.v By

this means, when the machine is used to grind or' polish single plates, such a plate may be rpositioned and supported between adjacent supporting and positioning bars or arms 162, of which there may be any desired number' to provide for the support of the d esired number of plates forming the series of plates, when the machine is operated upon a series or gang of plates.

In place of using the arms 22, the means for impelling the plate or plates through the machine may .consist of a bracket222,

provided with 'an arm or arms 223v adapted 'to embrace and ride upon a rail 224 `by which the bracket is guided and positioned. VThis bracket is provided with a shoulderor projection 25, adapted to project inside of a link of theY chain U8. Preferably, the forward portion of the bracket properis provided with a soft rubber spacing means 74, provided with notches to receive the rear end of thel glass plate o'rplates. Preferably, the opposite or rear face of the bracket carries `means for supporting or holding the glass plate or'plates at their 'forward ends. This latter means preferably comprises gripping members 76, of spring metal, adapted to adjust themselves to any variance in thickness of the glass plates.

When the arm or arms 223, reach the end of a feeding movement as the chain 18 lrises around the sprocket it will automatically7 become disengaged from the arm or arms as i rail 224, and replaced on said rail with the -the' projection 25 will pass out of the length of the chain which it had engaged. The yarms 223 may then be removed from the .projection'engaging a length of the chain 18 at a 'forward portion of the chain in order to be in a/ position 'for feeding `a new supply of glass plates into operative relation to the grinding devices.

Preferably, the rails 11 upon which the glassk plates 'slide are faced with a suitable rubber surface 7 7 whereby any -tendency to chipping or breakingofthe glass plates due to any vibration caused by contact 'with the grindingelements is further o bviate-d.v

'Y thatif it should be desired merely to grind.

The 'grinding and polishing -wheels are illustrated in the drawings as'having grooves 41 corresponding to the shape and degree of grinding desired to be imparted to the edge and vside of the plate. However, it is obvious the end surface of theplate and smooth and polish it, the grindingfwheels 40 could be used without grooves and thereby the plates would be ground on the edge of the wheels.

' It may be desirable, in such a case, to mount the wheels at a3 angle to the travel of the glass plates 13 to insure the grinding of a square edge, instead of mounting the grinding wheels to rotate in the line of travel of the plates.-` In certain installations. it

may be preferable to mount the grinding' wheels 40 on shafts that are held at an angle to the horizontal, to grind' abeveled edge on the plate, or the glass plates may be ground by suitable means Substantially simi-v lar' to those shown herein, and supported atan angle, lWhere it is desired to produce a beveled edge; such supportl and mounting being in'such a manner "that the weightof the plates is .utilized to-hold the plate in 4 grinding relation..tofttlie wheel without the necessity' of fixgdf clampsxedly holding the glassplates, and thereby avoiding vibra'-l tions of the v'platesxcausing breakage thereto -at the points etsiichfixed support. `A machine embed be operated to'ip'erform the Vdesired function An attendant will place. the plate, or a series o r gang of plates, on the rail' 11, or on the rubber surface thereof if a' rubber surface be used, at the right-hand end of (.the machine, as indicated in Figure 1, in front vof the arm 22 and with the front .end

of the plate engaged between the correspond,

Ving gripping members 6,. f The travel 'of the sprocket chain movsihe arm- 22 forward, pushing the plate #along therail, thence ying this invention may i and obtainthe desired results as follows across the openingBS between the lrail and A the neXt adjacent rail and into Contact with one of the grinding'wheels 40, the plate rest.-

ing a material portion of itsweight upon the grinding Wheel and, beingf-ree to vibrate while being ground, the grinding is accomplished without'the danger Yof chipping or breaking of the glass dueto the vibration and the localization thereof upon points-of fixed support. The grinding wheels 10, 42 are preferably driven in adirection opposite to the direction of travel of the chain '18, and

thus the plate or plates will travel only as.

fast as the arm 22 propels them against the friction of the wheels on the plate;

Any number of grinding or polishing wheels may be provided' as desired and to accord 4with the speed of operation to be obtained, andthe amount of grinding that I it is desired to effect with each wheel.

In some instances, the plates to be ground may be of suchlightness as to require a suitable Lweight' 70 hung on the plate, as indicated 1n Figures 7 and 11. This weight may be, for example, a bag of sand 'or a 'piece 'of lead. The relation. 'between the through the machine its ground edge will be 4adj usted further away 'from .the pivot 361 of the lever, and if less grinding is desired, the weight may be adjusted closer to the pivot 361.

As the glass plates move through themastraight and smooth. If a greater grinding' pressure is desired, the weight 64 may be@ chine they are groundsuccessively by engaging the different grinding Wheels and the plates finally engage the polishing Wheel which puts a polishjon the edge being operated upon.

In certain installations. as for example Where a constant-pressure may be employed, the grinding .Wheel or Wheels may beset in stationary bearings and arranged so that the pressurebetween the glass plate and the grinding Wheel is variable only by the Variation in the Weight of the glass plate or by the variation of the Weight 7 0 added -to`- the glass plate.

While l' have'illustrated in the drawings a preferred embodiment of the invention Well adapted for the purposes described, it

is obv'ious that the invention is not limited to any of the details of construction illustrated or described, and thatvarious and many modifications and substitutions may be made Without departing from the spirit of the invention, which is of the'scope set forth inthe appended claimsl. A machine for grinding an edge of a glass plate comprising a line of support `upon which the glass may be stood on edge in. a

. substantially vertical' position, means for guidingly maintaining it -in such position, and grinding means moving in the line o f feed of the glass and .located substantially on a level with said line of support and onto which the glass moves and byjvhich it is supported on edge While being ground.

2. A machine for grinding. the edge of a glass plate comprising a line of support' upon which a glass may. be stood on edge in a substantially vertical position, means for guidingly maintaining itin such position, and grinding means having a groove, shaped to grind the edge of the plate and surfaces adjacent said edge to finish and shape the same as predetermined, said grindline of support and onto which the glass moves, and by which it -is supported on edge While being ground.

4. A machine for grinding the edges of a -in the line offeed ofthe glass and located plurality of glass plates, comprising a line of support upon which said plates vmay be .stood on edge in a substantially vertical position, means for guidingly maintaining said plates in such position, and a plurality of grooved grinding devices moving in the line of feed of the Vglass plates and located substantially on a level with said line of support and onto which said plates may, and by which they, are supported on edge While being ground.

5. A machine for grinding the edges of plurality of glass plates comprising aline of support upon which. said plates may be stood `on edge in a substantially vertical position, spacing and supporting means for `said plates guided by suitable tracks, .and grinding means moving in the line of feed of the plates and located substantially on a level with said line of support and onto which said plates may, and by which they are supported'on edge While beinggro-und. 6. A machine for grinding the edges of glass plates, comprising a line of supportupon Which said plates may be stood on edge in substantially vertical position, means for maintaining said plates in such position and for holding them in groups evenly spaced from each other, means for feeding the groups of vplates through the machine in 'the direction of their forward edges, and

grinding means located in the path of movement of said plates and substantially on a level With said line of support and onto which vsaid glass plates move, and by which they are supported on edge While being ground. y

7. A machine for grinding-the edges of glass plates, comprising a line of support upon which said plates may be stood on edge in a substantially vertical position, means for guidingly maintaining said plates in such position, means for advancing said plates and for holding them in spaced relation vvvhile being so advanced in the direction of their forward edges, grinding means moving in the line of feed of the glassv plates and located substantially on a level with said line of support and onto which the glass plates may, andby `which they are supported von edge While being ground, and counter-balancing means to relieve said plates'of some of their effective weight for controlling the pressure of said' plates or v-said grinding means during the grinding operation.l

8. A machine yfor grinding an edge of a glass plate, comprising a line of support upon Which the lass may be stood on edge in a substantial y vertical position, means for guidi-ugly maintaining it in such position and for feeding it longitudinally relative to a grinding device, a rotary grinding device having a portion of its edge moving substantially on a level with said line of support and onto lwhich the glass moves, and

by which it is supported on its edge While being ground. 9. A machine for grinding an edge of a glass plate, comprising a line of support 5 upon which the glass may be stood on edge in a substantially vertical position, means 'for guiding and for maintaining it in such position, means -for feeding the glass longig tudinally, and grinding means located substantially on a level with said line of sup- 10 port and onto 'which the glass moves and by which it is supported on edge While` being Signed at Los Angeles, California, this 4th day of March 1924.

' KARL `A. WEBER.v 

